Brooks Levitate 2 Shoe Review
The Brooks Levitate 2 is the newest version of the Brooks Levitate. I ran in the original Levitate, and while it wasn’t my favorite shoe, it also wasn’t my least favorite shoe. This edition of the Brooks Levitate was updated early.
At work, when people ask: “was my shoe completely redesigned from the last version,” usually the answer is no. In this case, the Brooks Levitate to Brooks Levitate 2 has seen drastic differences. Everything from the upper and lacing system to the heel collar is different.
The shoe is marketed for tempo runs and daily to long runs (so basically most things). Personally, I’ll keep it to easy recovery runs.
Please keep in mind, what works for me might not work for you. We all have different feet.
See: Why you Need to Be Fitted for Running Shoes or How to Find the Perfect Pair of Running Shoes.
Brooks Levitate 2 Upper:
The fit knit upper if the Brooks Levitate 2 is all on one seam which makes it great for anyone with a wider forefoot or bunion. There are fewer seams to rub. There is enough structure to the upper that your feet feel secure and like it’s not free-floating around in space. I typically wear a women’s size 10-11 wide, and the 10.5 seems to work well (as usual for most Brooks shoes).
One thing, I must mention is the extreme heel wrap and heel collar of the shoe. The Brooks Levitate 2 comes up higher than any other trainer out there right now. I dislike it. It is the first shoe to ever irritate my ankle and even give me a heel blister. I’ve run through over 100 pairs of shoes in my running career and never gotten a blister on my heel. There is a first time for everything. Once it healed, I was fine, but I hope this doesn’t start a trend for Brooks.
Brooks Levitate 2 Ride:
The Brooks Levitate 2 is one of the heaviest shoes out there. I’m not sure why so many bloggers continue to talk about how “light the shoe is” but the fact of the Brooks Levitate 2 is it’s heavy. The women’s size 8 weighs 9.7 compared ounces compared to the Brooks Ghost of 8.4.
Of the Brooks shoes, the Brooks Levitate 2 is by far the firmest and poppy design. The goal of the Brooks Levitate 2 and DNA Amp cushioning is to move from heel to toe quickly without losing energy. The Brooks Levitate 2 is more responsive than both the Ghost and the Glycerin. You feel the ground a lot more. Like the Brooks Ricochet, the Brooks Levitate 2 uses DNA amp midsole which is Brooks most responsive midsole. According to Brooks, the shoe controls, captures, and returns energy. During runs, the Brooks Levitate 2 feels ultra-soft yet responsive. You can feel the spring and energy return.
One thing I found was due to the flexible arrow point pattern of the Brooks Levitate 2, you do slide more when the pavement is wet. The Brooks Levitate 2 is not my first choice to run on a rainy day. The rubber outsole protects you from sliding as much, but it’s still not my first choice for bad weather.
Other than that, I found the Brooks Levitate 2 to be responsive as advertised but I did feel like I had a Sherman tank underneath my foot.
Brooks Levitate 2 Conclusions:
Like the original Brooks Levitate, this wasn’t my favorite shoe. Although, the Brooks Levitate 2 is much lower on my like list and I think the first edition of the Levitate better.
The positives of the Brooks Levitate 2 are there is plenty of firm cushion in the shoe, and it fits well. The negatives of the Brooks Levitate 2 are the heel tab and collar, the grip on a rainy day, and the weight (a shoe I felt noticeably dragged down). I’ll keep the Brooks Levitate 2 for easy runs but won’t do anything more in it.
Shoes in my Rotation:
Easy/Daily Runs: Brooks Glycerin 16, New Balance 1080, Underarmour Sonic, Hoka Clifton 5, Brooks Levitate 2
Workouts: Nike Fly, New Balance 1400, Nike LT Racer
Races: Nike Fly, Nike Lt Racer
Trails: Underarmour Horizon BPF
You Can See All Current Shoe Reviews Here.
Finally, have you subscribed to the LOLZletter? It’s a free newsletter that comes out each Monday. In the newsletter, I share running industry trends and things relevant to the sport.
Questions for you:
Have you run in the Brooks Levitate 2? I’m curious to hear others!
What is your favorite shoe?
I’d be curious to try these out. I tried out the first Levitates and thought they were just way too much shoe for me. I don’t seem to be a huge fan of running in Brooks at all. They feel great to wear casually, but they don’t do it for me on runs. There’s just nothing great about them. Like you said, we all have different feet. 🙂
Thank you for your honest review! My favorite part was where you said ” I don’t know why bloggers are talking about how light it is.” I ordered the first version based on a blogger’s review (I know, I know, rookie mistake and I am NOT a rookie). That version was SO heavy! I wasn’t a fan and would have no desire for the high ankle feature of this newer version. Thanks, Hollie 🙂